The IDF has been conducting a counter-terror operation in the northern West Bank for the past 13 days, concentrating on the cities of Jenin and Tulkarm and their surroundings and on the villages bordering with the Jordan Valley.
The aim is to destroy terror infrastructure, clear explosive devices on main routes and kill or arrest terrorists. An explosive and weapon-production lab was found and destroyed in Tulkarm and five suspects were detained. At the same time, forces detained terror suspects in Jenin and prepared the surrounding for an extensive stay in the refugee camp.
As of Sunday, security forces said 35 people were killed and Palestinian sources said 29 of them were in Jenin while dozens more were hurt.
3 View gallery
IDF in counter terror operation in Jenin
(Photo: Majdi Mohammed / AP, Raneen Sawafta / Reuters)
3 View gallery
IDF in counter terror operation in Jenin
(Photo: Majdi Mohammed / AP, Raneen Sawafta / Reuters)
Tulkarm governor Abdullah Kamil said on Monday that half of the city's residents fled. "Tow hospitals are under siege, soldiers are attacking civilians in their homes, vandalizing and burning houses and destroying furniture in some," he said. "Israel is changing the camps' demographics and fighting every Palestinian, not only in the refugee camps." He accused Israel of taking advantage of the presence of armed militants in villages and towns and that 1,500 families have been displaced from the city.
The IDF said it was evacuating uninvolved civilians from the fighting, for their safety. They are allowed to leave through passageways after security checks.
IDF counter terrorism operation inJenin
(צילום: דובר צה"ל )
Jenin mayor and the governor of Tubas called for international intervention. "Half the city's neighborhoods have been cut off from water and electricity," Jenin mayor Mohammed Jerar said. "The Israeli operation is a repeat of what has happened in Gaza. The city will be abandoned if this goes on."
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
The governor of Tubas said 15 buildings in the village of Tammun have been evacuated and residents were told to stay away for the next three weeks.
Two men identified by locals as settlers, set fire to a mosque in the village outside Jericho. Images caught on film show the men starting a fire at the entrance to the mosque before burning a tractor parked outside.